Thechangewaslikewhatmaybesupposedwouldtakeplacewereitpossibletocureacaseof“colorblindness“TheperfectfreenesswithwhichthepardonofallourguiltisofferedinGod’sbookdrewforthfeelingsofaffectionatelovetoHimwhoboughtuswithhisblood，andasenseofdeepobligationtoHimforhismercyhasinfluenced，insomesmallmeasure，myconducteversinceButIshallnotagainrefertotheinnerspirituallifewhichIbelievethenbegan，nordoIintendtospecifywithanyprominencetheevangelisticlaborstowhichtheloveofChristhassinceimpelledmeThisbookwillspeak，notsomuchofwhathasbeendone，asofwhatstillremainstobeperformed，beforetheGospelcanbesaidtobepreachedtoallnations。
　　IntheglowoflovewhichChristianityinspires，IsoonresolvedtodevotemylifetothealleviationofhumanmiseryTurningthisideaoverinmymind，IfeltthattobeapioneerofChristianityinChinamightleadtothematerialbenefitofsomeportionsofthatimmenseempire；
　　andthereforesetmyselftoobtainamedicaleducation，inordertobequalifiedforthatenterprise。
　　Inrecognizingtheplantspointedoutinmyfirstmedicalbook，thatextraordinaryoldworkonastrologicalmedicine，Culpeper’s“Herbal“，IhadtheguidanceofabookontheplantsofLanarkshire，byPatrick。
　　Limitedasmytimewas，Ifoundopportunitiestoscourthewholecountry-side，“collectingsimples“Deepandanxiousweremystudiesonthestilldeeperandmoreperplexingprofunditiesofastrology，andIbelieveIgotasfarintothatabyssofphantasiesasmyauthorsaidhedaredtoleadmeItseemedperilousgroundtotreadonfarther，forthedarkhintseemedtomyyouthfulmindtoloomtoward“sellingsoulandbodytothedevil“，asthepriceoftheunfathomableknowledgeofthestarsTheseexcursions，oftenincompanywithbrothers，onenowinCanada，andtheotheraclergymanintheUnitedStates，gratifiedmyintenseloveofnature；andthoughwegenerallyreturnedsounmercifullyhungryandfatiguedthattheembryoparsonshedtears，yetwediscovered，tous，somanynewandinterestingthings，thathewasalwaysaseagertojoinusnexttimeashewasthelast。
　　Ononeoftheseexploringtoursweenteredalimestonequarry
　　longbeforegeologywassopopularasitisnowItisimpossibletodescribethedelightandwonderwithwhichIbegantocollecttheshellsfoundinthecarboniferouslimestonewhichcropsoutinHighBlantyreandCambuslang。
　　Aquarry-man，seeingalittleboysoengaged，lookedwiththatpityingeyewhichthebenevolentassumewhenviewingtheinsaneAddressinghimwith，“Howeverdidtheseshellscomeintotheserocks？”“WhenGodmadetherocks，hemadetheshellsinthem。”wasthedampingreplyWhatadealoftroublegeologistsmighthavesavedthemselvesbyadoptingtheTurk-likephilosophyofthisScotchman！
　　Myreadingwhileatworkwascarriedonbyplacingthebookonaportionofthespinning-jenny，sothatIcouldcatchsentenceaftersentenceasIpassedatmywork；Ithuskeptupaprettyconstantstudyundisturbedbytheroarofthemachinery。
　　TothispartofmyeducationIowemypresentpowerofcompletelyabstractingthemindfromsurroundingnoises，soastoreadandwritewithperfectcomfortamidtheplayofchildrenornearthedancingandsongsofsavages。
　　Thetoilofcotton-spinning，towhichIwaspromotedinmynineteenthyear，wasexcessivelysevereonaslim，loose-jointedlad，butitwaswellpaidfor；
　　anditenabledmetosupportmyselfwhileattendingmedicalandGreekclassesinGlasgowinwinter，asalsothedivinitylecturesofDrWardlaw，byworkingwithmyhandsinsummerIneverreceivedafarthingofaidfromanyone，andshouldhaveaccomplishedmyprojectofgoingtoChinaasamedicalmissionary，inthecourseoftime，bymyownefforts，hadnotsomefriendsadvisedmyjoiningtheLondonMissionarySocietyonaccountofitsperfectlyunsectariancharacterIt“sendsneitherEpiscopacy，norPresbyterianism，norIndependency，buttheGospelofChristtotheheathen。”Thisexactlyagreedwithmyideasofwhatamissionarysocietyoughttodo；butitwasnotwithoutapangthatIofferedmyself，foritwasnotquiteagreeabletooneaccustomedtoworkhisownwaytobecomeinameasuredependentonothers；
　　andIwouldnothavebeenmuchputaboutthoughmyofferhadbeenrejected。
　　Lookingbacknowonthatlifeoftoil，Icannotbutfeelthankfulthatitformedsuchamaterialpartofmyearlyeducation；
　　and，wereitpossible，Ishouldliketobeginlifeoveragaininthesamelowlystyle，andtopassthroughthesamehardytraining。
　　TimeandtravelhavenoteffacedthefeelingsofrespectIimbibedforthehumbleinhabitantsofmynativevillageFormorality，honesty，andintelligence，theywere，ingeneral，goodspecimensoftheScottishpoor。
　　Inapopulationofmorethantwothousandsouls，wehad，ofcourse，avarietyofcharacterInadditiontothecommonrunofmen，thereweresomecharactersofsterlingworthandability，whoexertedamostbeneficialinfluenceonthechildrenandyouthoftheplacebyimpartinggratuitousreligiousinstruction。*Muchintelligentinterestwasfeltbythevillagersinallpublicquestions，andtheyfurnishedaproofthatthepossessionofthemeansofeducationdidnotrenderthemanunsafeportionofthepopulationTheyfeltkindlytowardeachother，andmuchrespectedthoseoftheneighboringgentrywho，likethelateLordDouglas，placedsomeconfidenceintheirsenseofhonor。
　　Throughthekindnessofthatnobleman，thepoorestamonguscouldstrollatpleasureovertheancientdomainsofBothwell，andotherspotshallowedbythevenerableassociationsofwhichourschool-booksandlocaltraditionsmadeuswellaware；
　　andfewofuscouldviewthedearmemorialsofthepastwithoutfeelingthatthesecarefullykeptmonumentswereourown。
　　Themassesoftheworking-peopleofScotlandhavereadhistory，andarenorevolutionarylevelersTheyrejoiceinthememoriesof“WallaceandBruceanda’thelave。”whoarestillmuchreveredastheformerchampionsoffreedomAndwhileforeignersimaginethatwewantthespiritonlytooverturncapitalistsandaristocracy，wearecontenttorespectourlawstillwecanchangethem，andhatethosestupidrevolutionswhichmightsweepawaytime-honoredinstitutions，dearaliketorichandpoor。
　　*ThereaderwillpardonmymentioningthenamesoftwoofthesemostworthymenDavidHogg，whoaddressedmeonhisdeath-bedwiththewords，“Now，lad，makereligiontheevery-daybusinessofyourlife，andnotathingoffitsandstarts；forifyoudonot，temptationandotherthingswillgetthebetterofyou；“
　　andThomasBurke，anoldForty-secondPeninsulasoldier，whohasbeenincessantandneverwearyingoodworksforaboutfortyyears。
　　Iwasdelightedtofindhimstillalive；menliketheseareanhonortotheircountryandprofession。
　　Havingfinishedthemedicalcurriculumandpresentedathesisonasubjectwhichrequiredtheuseofthestethoscopeforitsdiagnosis，IunwittinglyprocuredformyselfanexaminationrathermoresevereandprolongedthanusualamongexaminingbodiesThereasonwas，thatbetweenmeandtheexaminersaslightdifferenceofopinionexistedastowhetherthisinstrumentcoulddowhatwasassertedThewiserplanwouldhavebeentohavehadnoopinionofmyownHowever，IwasadmittedaLicentiateofFacultyofPhysiciansandSurgeonsItwaswithunfeigneddelightIbecameamemberofaprofessionwhichispre-eminentlydevotedtopracticalbenevolence，andwhichwithunweariedenergypursuesfromagetoageitsendeavorstolessenhumanwoe。
　　Butthoughnowqualifiedformyoriginalplan，theopiumwarwasthenraging，anditwasdeemedinexpedientformetoproceedtoChina。
　　Ihadfondlyhopedtohavegainedaccesstothatthenclosedempirebymeansofthehealingart；buttherebeingnoprospectofanearlypeacewiththeChinese，andasanotherinvitingfieldwasopeningoutthroughthelaborsofMrMoffat，IwasinducedtoturnmythoughtstoAfrica；
　　andafteramoreextendedcourseoftheologicaltraininginEnglandthanIhadenjoyedinGlasgow，IembarkedforAfricain1840，and，afteravoyageofthreemonths，reachedCapeTown。
　　Spendingbutashorttimethere，IstartedfortheinteriorbygoingroundtoAlgoaBay，andsoonproceededinland，andhavespentthefollowingsixteenyearsofmylife，namely，from1840to1856，inmedicalandmissionarylaborstherewithoutcosttotheinhabitants。
　　Astothoseliteraryqualificationswhichareacquiredbyhabitsofwriting，andwhicharesoimportanttoanauthor，myAfricanlifehasnotonlynotbeenfavorabletothegrowthofsuchaccomplishments，butquitethereverse；ithasmadecompositionirksomeandlaborious。
　　IthinkIwouldrathercrosstheAfricancontinentagainthanundertaketowriteanotherbookItisfareasiertotravelthantowriteaboutitIintendedongoingtoAfricatocontinuemystudies；
　　butasIcouldnotbrooktheideaofsimplyenteringintoothermen’slaborsmadereadytomyhands，Ientailedonmyself，inadditiontoteaching，manuallaborinbuildingandotherhandicraftwork，whichmademegenerallyasmuchexhaustedandunfitforstudyintheeveningsaseverIhadbeenwhenacotton-spinnerThewantoftimeforself-improvementwastheonlysourceofregretthatIexperiencedduringmyAfricancareer。
　　Thereader，rememberingthis，willmakeallowancesforthemeregropingsforlightofastudentwhohasthevanitytothinkhimself“notyettoooldtolearn“Morepreciseinformationonseveralsubjectshasnecessarilybeenomittedinapopularworklikethepresent；
　　butIhopetogivesuchdetailstothescientificreaderthroughsomeother
　　TheBakwainCountryStudyoftheLanguageNativeIdeasregardingCometsMabotsaStationALionEncounter
　　VirusoftheTeethofLionsNamesoftheBechuanaTribes
　　SecheleHisAncestorsObtainstheChieftainship
　　HisMarriageandGovernmentTheKotlaFirstpublicReligiousServicesSechele’sQuestionsHeLearnstoReadNovelmodeforConvertinghisTribeSurpriseattheirIndifference
　　PolygamyBaptismofSecheleOppositionoftheNatives
　　PurchaseLandatChonuaneRelationswiththePeople
　　TheirIntelligenceProlongedDroughtConsequentTrials
　　Rain-medicineGod’sWordblamedNativeReasoningRain-maker
　　DisputebetweenRainDoctorandMedicalDoctorTheHuntingHopo
　　SaltoranimalFoodanecessaryofLifeDutiesofaMissionary。
　　ThegeneralinstructionsIreceivedfromtheDirectorsoftheLondonMissionarySocietyledme，assoonasIreachedKurumanorLattakoo，then，asitisnow，theirfarthestinlandstationfromtheCape，toturnmyattentiontothenorthWithoutwaitinglongeratKurumanthanwasnecessarytorecruittheoxen，whichwereprettywelltiredbythelongjourneyfromAlgoaBay，Iproceeded，incompanywithanothermissionary，totheBakuenaorBakwaincountry，andfoundSechele，withhistribe，locatedatShokuane。
　　WeshortlyafterretracedourstepstoKuruman；butastheobjectsinviewwerebynomeanstobeattainedbyatemporaryexcursionofthissort，Ideterminedtomakeafreshstartintotheinteriorassoonaspossible。
　　Accordingly，afterrestingthreemonthsatKuruman，whichisakindofheadstationinthecountry，IreturnedtoaspotaboutfifteenmilessouthofShokuane，calledLepelolenowLitubaruba。
　　Here，inordertoobtainanaccurateknowledgeofthelanguage，IcutmyselfofffromallEuropeansocietyforaboutsixmonths，andgainedbythisordealaninsightintothehabits，waysofthinking，laws，andlanguageofthatsectionoftheBechuanascalledBakwains，whichhasprovedofincalculableadvantageinmyintercoursewiththemeversince。
　　InthissecondjourneytoLepelolesocalledfromacavernofthatname
　　Ibeganpreparationsforasettlement，bymakingacanaltoirrigategardens，fromastreamthenflowingcopiously，butnowquitedry。
　　Whenthesepreparationswerewelladvanced，IwentnorthwardtovisittheBakaaandBamangwato，andtheMakalaka，livingbetween22Degreesand23Degreessouthlatitude。
　　TheBakaaMountainshadbeenvisitedbeforebyatrader，who，withhispeople，allperishedfromfeverIngoingroundthenorthernpartofthesebasaltichillsnearLetlocheIwasonlytendaysdistantfromthelowerpartoftheZouga，whichpassedbythesamenameasLakeNgami；*andImightthenin1842
　　havediscoveredthatlake，haddiscoveryalonebeenmyobject。
　　MostpartofthisjourneybeyondShokuanewasperformedonfoot，inconsequenceofthedraughtoxenhavingbecomesick。
　　Someofmycompanionswhohadrecentlyjoinedus，anddidnotknowthatIunderstoodalittleoftheirspeech，wereoverheardbymediscussingmyappearanceandpowers：“Heisnotstrong；heisquiteslim，andonlyappearsstoutbecauseheputshimselfintothosebagstrowsers；
　　hewillsoonknockup。”ThiscausedmyHighlandbloodtorise，andmademedespisethefatigueofkeepingthemallatthetopoftheirspeedfordaystogether，anduntilIheardthemexpressingproperopinionsofmypedestrianpowers。